Can punch and drain



Aug. 22, 1950 s L 2,520,068

CAN PUNCH AND DRAIN Filed April 7, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 i WI 125 "I LQU IS 6. SJiILiiR 22, 1950 1.. G. SEILER 2,520,068

CAN PUNCH AND DRAIN Filed April 7, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 22, 1950 UNITED STATES PLATE F 2,520,0es'-- CAN PUNCH ANDDRAIN Louis G. S'eiler, Sawyer; Wis.

Application April 7, 1945;. Serial Noe58 7,l40:

2 Claims. (0], 222-86) The present invention: consists of a can. punch and drain, an object of which is to provide a machine of simple construction which will simultaneously puncture both ends of a can with equal application of pressure on the opposite ends to effect expeditious opening of the can and dispensing of its contents.

It is also within the contemplation of this invention to provide relatively movable puncturing blades in a plane coincident with the axis of the can to positively insure a clean-cut incision of identical design, applied with equal force to both ends of the can.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a foot .operated mechanism for simultaneously moving cutting blades into engagement with the opposite ends of the can; to provide suitable means for supporting the can without possibility of displacement during the can puncturing or incising operation; and to eliminate possibility of the contents of the can being casually displaced; to provide a combination puncturing means and drain for intercepting the contents of the can and carrying it off to a point remote from the can puncturing mechanism; and to provide suitable housing for the puncturing blades and their appurtenances.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred form of the invention, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings; wherein Figure 1 is a perspective view of a can punch and drain, constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken through the vertically aligned casing in which the puncturing elements are mounted, with a can shown between the casing, in side elevation;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the device;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 5 is a similar view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Figure 6 is also a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 2, looking in the direction of the arrows.

The device of this invention includes a supporting frame 5 with a superstructure generally designated 6, having upper and lower housings 1 and 8 which are adapted to receive, therebetween, a can 9.

Mounted in each of the housings 1 and 8 is a can cutter or puncturer, generally designated I0.

2 The. cutter consists of ashaft- H equipped. withla pluralityof blades llwhichtaper to apointllii, the blades, if desired, being detachably engaged with the shaft. Each of the shafts II is slidably mounted in brackets formed in the housings I and 8. The free ends of the shafts are engaged by levers M which, in turn, are operatively connected to a foot pedal I5. The foot pedal I5 is pivotally mounted, as indicated at It, on the frame 5. As is apparent, pressure on the pedal [5 simultaneously urges the upper blade downwardly and the lower blade upwardly for engagement with the opposite ends of the can 9 at precisely the same instant. As soon as pressure is released from the pedal l5, the blades are retracted by springs ll, housed in the casings 1 and 8.

For the purpose of carrying oif the contents of the can to a point remote from the puncture unit, I employ 9, conduit [8, the inner end of which communicates with a sump l9 formed in the bottom of the lower casing 8. The outer end of the conduit 18 is preferably bent at right angles for convenience in dispensing the contents of the can into a suitable container.

The levers l4 may be connected to the foot pedal l5 in any suitable manner by rods or bars such as illustrated to advantage in Figure 2. I prefer, however, to mount, at some suitable point between the foot pedal I5 and the levers I4, adjustments to permit varying of the throw of the levers. I have found that bifurcated brackets 20 may be advantageously used to perform this function.

The device of the present invention is of simple construction and may be moved from place to place with facility and operated by unskilled labor, I have found, after much experiment with the machine, that the precision instant puncturing of the can is of the essence of importance in expediting dispensing of the can contents and in elfectin a complete evacuation of the contents. With the device of the present invention, I have also found that the ends of the can are severed to the point that the lines of the incisions radiate to the walls of the can, in order to facilitate collapse of the can.

While I have herein shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, I am of course aware that various changes may be made within the scope of the claims hereto appended.

What I claim is:

1. In a can puncturing device, a support, longitudinally spaced, axially aligned stationary casings mounted on said support providing a can holding compartment therebetween, axially aligned guides mounted in the casings, puncturing blades normally retracted within said casings provided with shanks having a sliding fit in said guides and movable through the casings toward and away from one another, resilient devices connected with said blades normally urging the latter in a direction away from one another, and manually operable means conected with said puncturing blades for simultaneously urging the latter toward one another for puncturing a receptacle placed on the support between said casings.

2. In a receptacle puncturing device, a support, opposed guides mounted on the support in axial alignment and spaced from one another, puncturing blades constrained by said guides to move toward and away from one another, spring devices connected with said blades yielda'bly urging the latter in a direction away from one another, actuator means connected with the blades for urging the latter toward one another in opposition to said spring devices, and means on the support in proximity to one of said blades to receive and carry off the contents or a receptacle pierced by said blades.

LOUIS G. SELLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,998,263 Townsend Apr. 16, 1935 2,322,808 Hothersall June 29, 1943 2,350,205 Warfield May 30, 1944 2,373,774 Murnane Apr. 17, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 327,073 Germany Oct. 8, 1920 199,746 Switzerland Nov. 16, 1938 

